Apparatus and method for shaping drywall mud

ABSTRACT

A drywall mud-shaping tool and a method of using the same to finish cured drywall mud. The tool has a flexible blade that does not contact an exterior surface of a drywall sheet until pressure is applied to the blade. Pressure is applied to the blade by holding the tool&#39;s housing in a user&#39;s hands and pressing downwardly thereon while drawing the housing across the sheet&#39;s exterior surface. The pressure causes the blade to move from a first position where the blade is spaced a distance away from the drywall sheet, to a second position where the blade contacts the drywall sheet. The blade removes some cured drywall mud from the exterior surface and collects the same in a collection chamber provided in the tool housing. The housing may be moved across the drywall sheet&#39;s exterior surface a number of times to finish the cured drywall mud.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of drywall hangingand finishing. More particularly, the present disclosure relates tohandheld tools for finishing drywall. Specifically, the presentdisclosure relates to a handheld tool for shaping and finishing drywallmud.

Background Information

Drywall, which can also be known as plaster wallboard, sheetrock, orgypsum board, is a common wallcovering and construction material in theU. S. and throughout the world. Drywall is commonly installed oninterior walls and ceilings in homes and businesses by attaching sheetsof the material to framing studs in order to form a wall or ceilingcovering. Once installed, drywall is typically put through a finishingprocess that includes applying a paper tape over spaces between adjacentdrywall sheets, applying mud over the paper tape and portions of thesheets, and then shaping the mud to achieve a smooth and uniform finishon the drywall surface.

The finish of drywall is typically measured in levels with level zerobeing installation of drywall sheets with no additional steps taken andlevel five being the highest degree of finishing, giving the surface ofthe drywall a smooth and virtually blemish-free appearance. Levels onethrough four represent varying degrees of finish therebetween. Thefinishing process can be time consuming, taking as many as three to fourdays to reach a level four or five finish. One of the main reasons forthis extended timeframe is the need to apply a joint compound, commonlycalled drywall mud, to the surface of the drywall in multiple coats orlayers allowing each layer time to dry. Once a layer is dry it is sandedor smoothed, and is often contoured, prior to applying the next layer.

The standard process of finishing drywall is achieved using multipledrywall taping knives of varying widths, the most common being 5″, 8″,and 10″ wide knives, along with drywall mud and paper drywall tape.Typical steps of finishing drywall include applying a first layer ofdrywall mud into screw holes and/or joints between the drywall sheets.This is typically done using a flexible drywall taping knife. A strip ofpaper tape is typically positioned over the joint between two adjacentdrywall sheets and then a layer of drywall mud is applied over the tape.In some instances, the paper tape may have an adhesive backing and thetape is adhered to the drywall sheets prior to application of the firstlayer of drywall mud. In other instances, the paper tape does notinclude any adhesive and so a quantity of mud is applied to a region ofthe drywall sheets adjacent a joint, the paper tape is positioned overthe joint and is secured in place by the quantity of mud, and then thefirst layer of drywall mud is applied over the tape. Sufficient time isgiven to allow the mud applied over the paper tape and in any screwholes to dry before proceeding with the next step.

Once the base layer (i.e., the first layer) is dry, a next layer isapplied over the first layer using a slightly wider drywall knife. Thisnext layer is additionally given time to dry and then it is typicallysanded smooth before proceeding with the application of another layer.Depending upon the level of finish desired, as many as three or fourlayers of drywall mud may be applied. At level five, a skim coat ofdrywall mud can be applied to the entire wall or ceiling surface. Eachlayer of drywall mud that is applied requires sanding and smoothingbefore proceeding with the next layer. Additionally, each layer isusually feathered to properly blend the mud into the wall or ceiling tocreate a uniform appearance. Once the desired finishing level isachieved, the wall can be primed and painted or prepared forwallpapering, tile, or any other wall coating as desired by theinstaller or homeowner.

The process of finishing drywall is difficult as it requires properblending of the mud to hide imperfections and seams in the drywall andis often performed by a skilled tradesman having many years ofexperience. Even then, errors in the finishing process can result indamage to the drywall and/or the need to reapply mud, both of which canincrease costs and time needed to finish a wall.

One PRIOR ART device is disclosed in U. S. Patent Publication No.2017/0058539 which shows an apparatus for smoothing drywall mud thatincludes a bladed tool designed to smooth and shape unfinished, cureddrywall mud. The tool described in the '539 publication includes one ormore flexible blades that can be bent or curved utilizing adjustmentscrews or adjustment means to secure the one or more blades in a curvedposition. The tool disclosed therein is designed to be installed on apole to assist the operator in controlling the shaping tool. Oneembodiment of the prior art device described in the '539 publication isnot easily adapted to changing conditions of the drywall and drywall mudas it requires use of adjustment screws to change the shape andcurvature of the blade. This requires the operator to stop work toadjust the tool anytime a different profile is desired or anytime anon-uniform condition is present. This can result in multipleadjustments of the tool being necessary during the finishing processwhich can cause the operator to lose the time that might have been savedusing the disclosed tool.

Another embodiment of the prior art device described in the '539publication requires use of multiple spring loaded pistons to flexblades. This embodiment can adjust according to the contour of the wall,but may cause the blades to adjust over the unfinished drywall mudrather than cutting through the mud. Further, the inclusion of multiplespring loaded pistons requires additional maintenance and cleaning asdust and debris can become lodged within the springs during use and candiminish performance over time.

SUMMARY

Provided are methods and tools to insure proper blending and smoothingof drywall mud that are easy to use and provide a consistent finish evenin the hands of an unskilled person or a person with less experience.Further provided is a tool that can be adjusted “on the fly” with littleor no down time from the finishing process. Also provided is a tool thatcan collect and contain dust and debris created during the finishingprocess which can both speed up the finishing process and reduceclean-up time.

A drywall mud-shaping tool and a method of using the same to finishcured drywall mud is disclosed. The tool has a flexible blade that doesnot contact an exterior surface of a drywall sheet until pressure isapplied to the blade. Pressure is applied to the blade by holding thetool's housing in a user's hands and pressing downwardly thereon whiledrawing the housing across the sheet's exterior surface. The pressurecauses the blade to move from a first position where the blade is spaceda distance away from the drywall sheet, to a second position where theblade contacts the drywall sheet. The blade removes some cured drywallmud from the exterior surface and collects the same in a collectionchamber provided in the tool housing. The housing may be moved acrossthe drywall sheet's exterior surface a number of times to finish thecured drywall mud.

In one aspect, the present disclosure may provide a drywall mud-shapingtool comprising a main body housing having a bottom adapted to be placedin contact with an exterior surface of a sheet of drywall; a bladeprovided on the main body housing; wherein said blade is movable betweena first position and a second position upon application of pressure tothe main body housing; wherein when the blade is in the first position,the blade is adapted to be spaced a distance away from the exteriorsurface of the sheet of drywall; and wherein when the blade is in thesecond position, the blade is adapted to contact the exterior surface ofthe sheet of drywall.

In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method ofshaping drywall mud comprising the steps of applying wet drywall mud toan exterior surface of a sheet of drywall; allowing sufficient time forthe drywall mud to cure; placing a drywall mud-shaping tool against theexterior surface of the sheet of drywall; hand-applying pressure to amain body housing of the drywall mud-shaping tool in a directionoriented at right angles to the exterior surface; moving a bladeprovided in the main body housing from a first position to a secondposition relative to a top of the main body housing; contacting cureddrywall mud with an edge of the blade when the blade is in the secondposition; drawing the drywall mud-shaping tool across the cured drywallmud in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the exteriorsurface of the drywall sheet; and removing some of the cured drywall mudfrom the exterior surface of the drywall sheet using the blade.

In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method offinishing drywall comprising the steps of applying wet drywall mud to anexterior surface of a drywall sheet; allowing sufficient time for thedrywall mud to cure; placing a contoured edge of a flexible bladeagainst the exterior surface of the drywall sheet; applying pressure tothe main body housing; contacting an unfinished surface of the cureddrywall mud with the blade while applying pressure; drawing the bladeacross the unfinished surface of the cured drywall mud; removing some ofthe cured drywall mud from the exterior surface with the contoured edgeof the blade; contouring the cured drywall mud with the contoured edgeof the blade to form a contoured surface; releasing pressure on the mainbody housing; placing a straight edge of the flexible blade against theexterior surface of the drywall sheet; applying pressure to the mainbody housing; contacting the contoured surface with the straight edge ofthe blade while applying pressure; drawing the blade across thecontoured surface; removing some of the cured drywall mud from thecontoured surface; and forming a finished surface of the cured drywallmud on the exterior surface of the drywall sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A sample embodiment of the disclosure is set forth in the followingdescription, is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctlypointed out and set forth in the appended claims. The accompanyingdrawings, which are fully incorporated herein and constitute a part ofthe specification, illustrate various examples, methods, and otherexample embodiments of various aspects of the disclosure. One ofordinary skill in the art will appreciate that in some examples oneelement may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elementsmay be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as aninternal component of another element may be implemented as an externalcomponent and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn toscale.

FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 3 is a top elevational view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section view taken along the axisidentified in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the blade assembly as identified in FIG.4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the wiper assembly as identified in FIG.4.

FIG. 7 is a bottom elevation view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective top view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the area identified in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective bottom exploded view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the area identified in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a perspective top view of a drywall shaping tool illustratingproper hand placement and use of the drywall shaping tool.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the FIGS, a drywall mud-shaping tool 10 is provided.The shaping tool 10 includes a main body 12, a blade assembly 14, awiper assembly 16 (FIG. 2), and a collection chamber 18.

With reference to FIGS. 1-3 and 7-11, main body 12 of the shaping tool10 includes a first end 20, a second end 22, a front side 24, a rearside 26, a top 28 and a bottom 30. First end 20 and second end 22 arespaced apart defining therebetween a longitudinal direction. Front side24 is spaced apart from rear 26 defining therebetween a transversedirection. Top 28 is spaced apart from bottom 30 defining therebetween avertical direction.

Main body 12 can be fabricated as a single piece via injection moldingand can be fabricated from a plastic material, such as acrylonitrilebutadiene styrene plastic (ABS plastic), polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVCplastic), or polycarbonate, or main body 12 may be constructed of metal.

According to another aspect, main body 12 can be fabricated of anycombination of materials suitable for the desired application as chosenby a person of ordinary skill in the art.

As best seen in FIGS. 2, 10, and 11, first end 20 of main body 12 caninclude a first end cap 21 which can further include a first upper flexnotch 40 and first lower flex notch 42 (FIG. 2). Similarly, second end22 of main body 12 can include a second end cap 23 which can furtherinclude a second upper flex notch 44 and second lower flex notch 46.These flex notches 40, 42, 44, and 46 can allow first end cap 21 andsecond end cap 23 to flex when pressure is applied to shaping tool 10 aswill be further discussed herein and thereby move a flexible blade 50from a first position to a second position relative to a lowermost edge,of first and second end caps 21, 23, respective, and relative to top 28of housing 12.

First end cap 21 and second end cap 23 can further include ribs 90 toprovide additional structural support to first and second end caps 21,22.

First end cap 21 and second end cap 23 are generally depicted as havingopen sides which can assist the user in gripping and controlling shapingtool 10. Although shown throughout the Figures as open, it will beappreciated that first end cap 21 and second end cap 23 can be closedfor aesthetic purposes or for any other purpose as recognized by aperson of ordinary skill in the art.

According to another aspect, each of the first end cap 21 and second endcap 23 can have an interior wall separating first end cap 21 and/orsecond end cap 23 from collection chamber 18, which is discussed below.According to this aspect, the interior wall can assist in collecting andcontaining materials such as dust or other debris removed from the cureddrywall mud on the drywall sheet within collection chamber 18 as thatmaterial is removed from the surface to be finished. The user mayperiodically empty out the collected material from the collectionchamber.

Rear side 26 of main body 12 can include at least one wheel 34 supportedto main body 12 by an associated axle 32. Axle 32 defines a longitudinalaxis about which the at least one wheel 34 can rotate. According to oneaspect, main body 12 can, instead, have a pair of wheels 34 disposed onrear side 26 and each supported by one of a pair of associated axles 32;where each axle 32 defines a longitudinal axis about which theassociated wheel 34 can freely rotate.

According to one aspect, the wheels 34 can be solid and integral withaxle 32.

According to another aspect, wheels 34 can include ball bearings whichcan rotate about axle 32.

Top 28 of main body 12 can be a structural member that may berubber-coated or molded and/or textured in a manner that can assist auser in gripping and/or handling shaping tool 10. Top 28 may beergonomically shaped to be readily, easily and comfortably gripped by auser in the manner shown in FIG. 15. Top 28 can include a protrusion 29at the front 24 of main body 12. Protrusion 29 can extend thelongitudinal length of main body 12 and can further assist a user ingripping and/or handling shaping tool 10. Protrusion 29 can furtherprovide for proper placement and alignment of blade cover 48, asdiscussed below.

Bottom 30 of shaping tool 10 can further define a collection chamber 18within main body 12 of shaping tool 10. The interior of collectionchamber 18 can include frame 88 to provide structural support to shapingtool 10. Although shown in a generally grid-shaped pattern, frame 88 canbe shaped by a person of ordinary skill in the art in any manner thatallows for collection chamber 18 to be present while still providingadequate structural support to main body 12.

Collection chamber 18 can be effective for collecting dust and debrisfrom the drywall mud to help contain mess and reduce cleanup time in thedrywall finishing process. Bottom 30, although depicted in the figuresas open, can include a barrier (not shown) that encloses some or all ofcollection chamber 18. The barrier may allow an opening for dust anddebris to enter collection chamber 18, but may assist in containing dustand debris within collection chamber 18.

Bottom 30 of main body 12 can also include a first wear pad 36, a firstwear pad mount 37, a second wear pad 38, and a second wear pad mount 39disposed at the front side 24 of bottom 30. First and second wear pads36, 38 can be replaceable and can be attached within first and secondwear pad mounts 37, 39, respectively, by any means chosen by a person ofordinary skill in the art suitable for the desired application.

First wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38 can be installed within endcaps 21 and 22 of main body 12 behind blade assembly 14. According toanother aspect, first wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38 can interactwith first wear pad mount 37 and second wear pad mount 39, respectively,by a tongue and groove connection. In this type of connection first wearpad 36 and second wear pad 38 include a groove which can slidably engagea tongue provided within first wear pad mount 37 and second wear padmount 39. According to another aspect, first wear pad 36 and second wearpad 38 can include a tongue portion that interacts with a groove definedwithin first wear pad mount 37 and second wear pad mount 39.

According to one aspect, first wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38 can becomprised of a smooth, hard plastic such as polyurethane, polycarbonate,or ABS.

According to another aspect, first wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38can be constructed of high molecular weight polyethylene which is knownfor its low friction coefficient, self-healing properties, and long wearlife.

According to another aspect, first wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38can be constructed of polyoxymethylene, which is also known as a highstrength, high stiffness, and low friction coefficient. Polyoxymethyleneis often sold under the brand name Delrin by the E. I. du Pont deNemours and Company.

The combination of wear pads 36, 38 and wheels 34 can allow shaping tool10 to move easily along the drywall surface.

As best seen in FIGS. 11-14, blade assembly 14 can include blade cover48, lip 49, blade 50, magnet 52, first thumb screw 54, second thumbscrew 56, first threaded receiver 58, second threaded receiver 60, firstattachment member 62, first attachment stop 63, second attachment member64, second attachment stop 65, first pass-through opening 66, secondpass-through opening 68, first mounting tab 70, first alignment stop 71,second mounting tab 72, and second alignment stop 73.

Blade 50 is engaged with main body housing 12 and can be flexible underpressure but can maintain a generally rectangular shape in each of aflexed condition or an un-flexed condition. Wheels 34 are engaged withthe main body housing 12 and a region of each wheel 34 is adapted tocontact an exterior surface of a sheet of drywall when tool 10 is used.Blade 50 is positioned on main body housing 12 such that a bottom edgeof the blade is located inwardly of a region of the wheels that contactsthe exterior surface of the sheet of drywall when the blade 50 is in afirst position. When pressure is applied to the main body housing 12 andthereby to blade 50, blade moves to a second position where the bottomedge of the blade 50 will contact the exterior surface off the sheet ofdrywall (or will contact drywall mud applied to the exterior surface ofthe drywall sheet). In other words, when blade 50 is in the secondcondition, the position of the bottom edge of blade 50 is substantiallyaligned (or flush) with the regions of the wheels 34 that contact theexterior surface of the drywall sheet. Blade 50 is in the first positionwhen in an un-flexed condition and is in the second position when in theflexed condition.

As shown in FIG. 11, blade 50 can include first blade aperture 74,second blade aperture 76, a first longitudinal edge 78, a first verticaledge 79, a second longitudinal edge 80, a second vertical edge 81, andcorners 82. First longitudinal edge 78 can include cutting edges 78A and78B. Likewise second longitudinal edge 80 can include cutting edges 80Aand 80B (FIG. 13).

First longitudinal edge 78 and second longitudinal edge 80 of blade 50can be precision machined to include four cutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A,and 80 B. Blade 50 may be selectively removed from main body housing 12and may be reversed or flipped to present a selected one of the fourcutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A, and 80 B. Cutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A,and/or 80B can be configured to each be used before blade 50 needs to bereplaced. Blade 50 may therefore be initially engaged in main bodyhousing 12 in a first orientation where a first cutting edge ispresented for contact with the exterior surface of the drywall sheet;and blade 50 may later be flipped to a second orientation where a secondcutting edge is presented for contact with the exterior surface of thedrywall sheet.

According to another aspect, cutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A, and/or 80B canhave differing profiles on a single blade 50. By way of one non-limitingexample, one or more cutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A, and/or 80B can bestraight edges while one or more of the cutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A,and/or 80B may be contoured edges. Contoured edges can have any edgeprofile as chosen by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Corners 80 of blade 50 can be rounded to minimize likelihood of corners80 inadvertently digging into the drywall or drywall mud and damagingthe same. According to another aspect, corners 80 can be of any desiredprofile shape as chosen by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

According to one aspect, blade 50 can be constructed of a metal strip,such as steel, and can be of any thickness suitable that will permitblade to flex under applied pressure. For example, blade 50 may have athickness of about 0.8 millimeters. According to another aspect, thethickness of blade 50 can vary according to the desired application anduse of shaping tool 10, provided that blade 50 is not of a thicknessthat prevents blade 50 from flexing under appropriate pressure, asdiscussed below.

With reference to FIG. 10, blade 50 can be secured by blade assembly 14to main body 12 (discussed in further detail below) in an angledposition relative to horizontally oriented bottom regions of first andsecond end caps 21, 23, if provided. Blade 50 will thereby be orientedat an angle “Y” (FIG. 10) relative to the exterior surface beingfinished. According to one aspect, the blade 50 can be mounted on mainbody housing 12 at an angle “Y” ranging from about 52° up to about 72°relative to the bottom regions of the first and second end caps 21, 23,and thereby to the surface being finished. According to another aspect,blade 50 can be mounted at an angle “Y” of about 62° relative to thebottom regions, and thereby to the surface being finished.

Although described herein as set at a fixed angle, it will be understoodthat blade assembly 14 and/or main body 12 can include an angleadjustment feature which can allow the angle of blade 50 to be adjustedaccording to the desired application. By way of one non-limitingexample, thumbscrews 54, 56 can be configured to adjust the angle ofblade assembly 14 thereby adjusting the angle of blade 50 as a result.

Blade assembly 14 can fasten and hold blade 50 to front side 24 of mainbody 12. First longitudinal edge 80 of blade 50 can sit against thebottom side of first alignment stop 71 and second alignment stop 72while first and second blade apertures 74 and 76 can align with andaccept first and second mounting tabs 70, 72, respectively. This assuresproper placement of blade 50 within blade assembly 14. Further, firstand second mounting tab 68 and 70 can be selectively shaped to secureblade 50 in place and help prevent horizontal and/or vertical movementof blade 50.

First and second attachment members 62, 64, which carry first and secondpass-through openings 66, 68, respectively, can be placed over andagainst blade 50 with first and second pass-through openings 66 and 68aligned with corresponding first and second threaded receivers 58 and60. First attachment member 62 can rest under and against firstattachment stop 63 and second attachment member can rest under andagainst second attachment stop 65. Attachment stops 63 and 65 can ensureproper alignment of first and second pass-through openings 66, 68 withfirst and second threaded receivers 58, 60. Pass-through openings 66 and68 can be sized to allow first thumb screw 54 and second thumb screw 56to pass through first attachment member 62 and second attachment member64 into first threaded receiver 58 and second receiver 33. The inclusionof first attachment member 62 and second attachment member 64 can serveto place uniform pressure across the face of blade 50, helping tofurther secure blade 50 to front side 24 of shaping tool 10. The firstand second thumb screws 54 and 56 can allow adjustment of the pressureon the blade 50 and can provide for easy access to, and/or replacementof, blade 50.

According to one aspect, thumb screws 54 and 56 can be clips, pins, orany other fastening device as chosen by a person of ordinary skill inthe art.

Blade assembly 14 can further include a blade cover 48 having a lip 49corresponding to protrusion 29 of top 28 of main body 12. Alignment oflip 49 with protrusion 29 can ensure proper positioning of blade cover48 on blade 50. Blade cover 48 can extend longitudinally across blade50, terminating interior of first and second attachment members 62, 64.Blade cover 48 can further include one or more magnets 52 to attachblade cover 48 to blade 50.

According to one aspect, magnet 52 can extend approximately the entirelongitudinal length of blade cover 48.

According to another aspect, multiple magnets 52 can be attached toblade cover 48.

According to another aspect, blade cover 48 can itself be a magnetthereby making the entire blade cover 48 magnetic and capable ofattaching to blade 50.

Blade cover 48 can be constructed of rubber or can be a rubber-coatedmaterial such as metal or plastic. The inclusion of rubber and/or arubber coating on blade cover 48 can assist operator in gripping shapingtool 10 and allowing operator more control over shaping tool 10 and overthe curvature of blade 50 (discussed further in operation below). Bladecover 48 can additionally help protect the operator from contacting theouter surface of blade 50 during operation of shaping tool 10 which canhelp in the prevention of injuries to the operator.

It will be understood that while blade cover 48 is shown and describedherein as attaching to blade 50 via magnets 52, other attachment meanscould be substituted without deviating from the scope herein. By way ofone non-limiting example, blade cover 48 can be adhesively attached toblade 50. Alternatively, blade cover 48 can extend behind first andsecond attachment members 62, 64 and can have one or more openings thatallow blade cover 48 to attach to first and/or second mounting tabs 70,72, first and/or second thumb screws 54, 56, or any combination thereof.

With reference to FIGS. 2, 4, and 6, optional wiper assembly 16 can bedisposed on rear side 26 of main body 12. Wiper assembly 16 cangenerally comprise a rubber wiper 84 and a wiper mount 86. Wiper mount86 can be molded to or formed as part of main body 12 or can beselectively attached or detached from main body 12 according to thedesired application. Wiper mount 86 can include an attachment means forsecuring rubber wiper 84 within mount 86. Alternatively, rubber wiper 84can be permanently affixed within wiper mount 86. Wiper 84 extendsoutwardly beyond a lowermost edge of the main body housing 12 and ispositioned to contact the exterior surface of a sheet of drywall or tocontact drywall mud applied to the exterior surface.

Although disclosed herein as rubber, it will be understood that wiper 84can be a brush or be comprised of a flexible material, such as plasticor silicone.

According to another aspect, wiper 84 may be replaced with a secondblade for additional contouring and/or smoothing of an unfinishedsurface.

FIG. 15 shows shaping tool 10 in operation. A user will grasp shapingtool 10 with at least one but preferably two hands as illustrated inphantom in FIG. 15. The user will position their hands such that theirfingertips are proximate front side 24 of tool 10 and their thumbs areproximate rear side 26 thereof. The tip regions of the user's fingertipsmay contact the protrusion 29 on front side 24. The user will applypressure to top 28 with their hand(s) as described below. Tool 10 isplaced relative to a sheet of drywall in such a way that bottom 30 oftool 10 is located adjacent an exterior surface of the drywall As shownin FIGS. 4-6, first wear pad 36, second wear pad 38, and the at leastone wheel 34 contact exterior surface. First and second wear pads 36, 38and the at least one wheel 34 can combine to keep the blade 50 of tool10 a distance away from the exterior surface of the drywall until handpressure is applied by the user to surfacing tool 10. Wheels 34 help toroll main body housing 12 across the exterior surface of a drywall sheetand first and second wear pads 36, 38 slide across the exterior surface.The configuration and placement of first and second wear pads 36, 38 andthe at least one wheel 34 helps to ensure that blade 50 does not contactdrywall mud placed on exterior surface unless and until an appropriateamount of pressure is applied to shaping tool 10 by operator.

With reference to FIG. 15, a user can apply pressure on tool 10 andthereby on blade 50 in a downward motion (i.e., in a direction indicatedby arrow “A”) and furthermore can apply this downward pressure “A” whilemoving tool 10 in the direction of arrow “B”, i.e., while pullingshaping tool 10 along the exterior surface of drywall in a desireddirection. The direction of movement “B” may be such that the wheel(s)34 form a leading edge of shaping tool 10 so that tool 10 slides readilyalong exterior surface. The applied pressure (“A” and/or “B”) can causeblade 50 and blade cover 48 to flex downwardly and in the direction ofarrow “B”. Blade 50 is thereby caused to come into contact with drywallmud that has been applied to the exterior surface of drywall. The blade50 smooths and contours the drywall mud and produces a clean, smoothstrip of drywall mud on the exterior surface. The user may vary theamount of direct pressure applied to shaping tool 10 using their hand(s)and this varying of the amount of pressure helps to adjust the curvatureof the blade 50 substantially instantaneously during operation ofshaping tool 10. This allows for additional control and instant feedbackto the user with no need to remove shaping tool 10 from the surface ofthe drywall being finished in order to adjust the curvature of blade 50within tool 10 as has been necessary with some PRIOR ART devices. Astool 10 is moved across the surface of drywall, a quantity of drywallmud will be scraped off surface using blade 50 of tool 10.

As best seen when viewing FIGS. 4-6, wiper 84 may contact the drywallmud and surface being finished ahead of blade 50 as shaping tool 10 ismoved across the surface in the direction of arrow “B”. Wiper 84 mayclean and/or prepare the unfinished drywall mud for contouring andsmoothing by blade 50.

It will be understood that drywall frequently will be verticallyoriented and that, in operation, wiper 84 will tend to be positioned adistance vertically below blade 50 during the contouring process.Accordingly, with the aid of gravity, dust and debris that is removedfrom the exterior surface by blade 50 is able to fall past collectionchamber 18. The placement of wiper 84 can create a seal between shapingtool 10 and the surface being finished and can further help direct thisdust and debris into collection chamber 18.

In continued operation, when collection chamber 18 is full or nearlyfull of dust and/or debris, collection chamber 18 can be emptied byremoving shaping tool 10 from the surface being finished and dumpingdust and debris from collection chamber 18 into an appropriatereceptacle. The shaping tool 10 can then be repositioned against surfaceand the smoothing and contouring process with tool 10 can be continued.

According to another aspect, in embodiments where collection chamber 18is covered, an additional step of removing the cover to accesscollection chamber 18 can be performed prior to dumping dust and debrisfrom collection chamber 18. The cover is then repositioned overcollection chamber 18 once dust and debris has been emptied therefrom.

Shaping tool 10 can be used to contour unfinished drywall mud throughuse of multiple blades (such as blade 50) with differing edge profiles.Shaping tool 10 can have a first blade that is contoured, curved, orotherwise shaped so that the first blade has an edge profile that is notstraight. Shaping tool 10 may further be provided with a second,straight-edged blade that can be used in place of the contoured blade.One non-limiting example of a contoured edge profile that is notstraight is an edge that is a serrated, or toothed, edge. According tothis example, shaping tool 10 can be first drawn along drywall mud onthe surface of the drywall using the first contoured-edged blade.Shaping tool 10 can then be switched and a second shaping tool 10 with astraight-edged blade can be drawn along the now at least partiallycontoured drywall mud. This arrangement can allow the user or operatorto control the amount of drywall mud removed from surface in a singlepass of tool 10 across the surface. This may help to reduce errorsand/or damage to the drywall surface.

According to another aspect, both edge profiles can be carried in asingle shaping tool 10 and the blades 50 can be swapped betweenfinishing steps.

According to another aspect, a single blade 50 can have multiple edgeprofiles and can be removed, rotated, and replaced within a singleshaping tool 10 between finishing steps.

In operation, blade 50 can be removed and replaced by following thesteps of rotating thumb screws 54 and 56 counter-clockwise to loosenand/or remove them from first and second threaded receivers 58 and 60respectively. Once thumb screws 54, 56 are loosened and/or removed,first and second attachment members 62 and 64 can be removed from theouter surface of blade 50. Blade cover 48 can be separated from blade 50by separating magnets 52 or by removing the adhesive connector. Blade 50can then be removed from first and second mounting tabs 70 and 72. Blade50 can be flipped or rotated to place a new, unused cutting edge 78A,78B, 80A, or 80B of either longitudinal edge 78 or 80, into propercutting position. Once the desired cutting edge 78A, 78B, 80A, or 80B isoriented in the cutting position, blade 50 can be reinstalled onto firstand second mounting tabs 70 and 72. First and second attachment members62 and 64 can be placed over blade 50 and against first and secondattachment stops 63 and 64. First and second thumb screws 54 and 56 canbe inserted through pass-through openings 66 and 68 and into first andsecond threaded receivers 58 and 60. First and second thumb screws 54and 56 can then be rotated clockwise and thereby secure blade 50 inplace. Lip 49 of blade cover 48 can be aligned with protrusion 29 ofcover 28 and blade cover can be secured to the exterior side of blade 50via magnets 52.

According to one aspect, thumb screws 54, 56 can remain operativelyattached to attachment members 62, 64. According to this aspect, thumbscrews 54, 56 then do not need to be fully removed to rotate, flip, orreplace blade 50.

According to another aspect, attachment members 62, 64 can be configuredto open without being completely removed from body 12 while stillallowing full access to blade 50.

In summary, the present disclosure may provide a drywall mud-shapingtool 10 comprising a main body housing 12 adapted to be placed incontact with an exterior surface of a sheet of drywall; and a blade 50provided on the main body housing 12; wherein said blade 50 is movablebetween a first position and a second position relative to the top 28 ofmain body housing 12 upon application of pressure to the main bodyhousing 12 (in the directions of arrow “A” and/or “B”); wherein when theblade 50 is in the first position, a bottom edge (either 78 or 80depending on which cutting surface is being presented) of the blade 50is adapted to be located a distance away from the exterior surface ofthe sheet of drywall; and wherein when the blade 50 is in the secondposition, the bottom edge (either 78 or 80) of blade 50 is adapted tocontact the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.

In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method ofshaping drywall mud comprising the steps of applying drywall mud to anexterior surface of a sheet of drywall; allowing sufficient time for thedrywall mud to cure; placing a drywall mud-shaping tool 10 against theexterior surface of the sheet of drywall; applying hand-pressure to amain body housing 12 of the drywall mud-shaping tool 10 in a direction“A” oriented generally at right angles to the exterior surface; moving ablade 50 provided on the main body housing 12 from a first position to asecond position relative to a lowermost edge, and to the top 28 of themain body housing 12; contacting cured drywall mud with an edge 78 or 80of the blade 50 when the blade 50 is in the second position; drawing thedrywall mud-shaping tool 12 across the cured drywall mud in a direction“B” (FIG. 15) substantially parallel to the exterior surface of thedrywall sheet; and removing some of the cured drywall mud from theexterior surface of the drywall sheet using the blade 50 to produce afinished region of cured drywall mud.

In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method offinishing drywall comprising the steps of applying wet drywall mud to anexterior surface of a drywall sheet; allowing sufficient time for thedrywall mud to cure and become cured drywall mud; placing a contourededge 78A, 78B, 80A or 80B of a flexible blade 50 against the exteriorsurface of the drywall sheet; applying pressure “A” (FIG. 15) to themain body housing 12 and thereby to blade 50; contacting an unfinishedsurface of the cured drywall mud with the blade 50 while under pressure;drawing the blade “B” (FIG. 15) across the unfinished surface of thecured drywall mud; removing some of the cured drywall mud from theexterior surface with the contoured edge 78A, 78B, 80A or 80B of theblade 50; contouring the cured drywall mud with the contoured edge ofthe blade to form a contoured surface; releasing pressure “A” and “B” onthe blade 50; placing a straight edge 78A, 78B, 80A or 80B of theflexible blade 50 against the exterior surface of the drywall sheet;applying pressure “A” to the main body housing 12 and thereby to blade50; contacting the contoured surface of the cured drywall mud with thestraight edge 78A, 78B, 80A or 80B of the blade 50; drawing “B” theblade 50 across the contoured surface; removing some of the cureddrywall mud from the contoured surface; and forming a finished surfaceof the cured drywall mud on the exterior surface of the drywall sheet.

According to one aspect, shaping tool 10 can be drawn across unfinisheddrywall in any direction while keeping blade 50 substantially parallelto the plane of the exterior surface of the drywall. According to thisaspect, drywall tool 10 can provide a smoother finish than traditionalsandpaper methods, which require the sandpaper to be applied in uniformstrokes in the same direction throughout the process. Sandpaper that isapplied in any direction can scratch or scar the mudded surface, aproblem which can be minimized and/or eliminated through properapplication of shaping tool 10.

An embodiment is an implementation or example of the present disclosure.Reference in the specification to “an embodiment,” “one embodiment,”“some embodiments,” “one particular embodiment,” or “other embodiments,”or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the embodiments is includedin at least some embodiments, but not necessarily all embodiments, ofthe invention. The various appearances “an embodiment,” “oneembodiment,” “some embodiments,” “one particular embodiment,” or “otherembodiments,” or the like, are not necessarily all referring to the sameembodiments.

If this specification states a component, feature, structure, orcharacteristic “may”, “might”, or “could” be included, that particularcomponent, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to beincluded. If the specification or claim refers to “a” or “an” element,that does not mean there is only one of the element. If thespecification or claims refer to “an additional” element, that does notpreclude there being more than one of the additional element.

Additionally, any method of performing the present disclosure may occurin a sequence different than those described herein. Accordingly, nosequence of the method should be read as a limitation unless explicitlystated. It is recognizable that performing some of the steps of themethod in a different order could achieve a similar result.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued.

Moreover, the description and illustration of various embodiments of thedisclosure are examples and the disclosure is not limited to the exactdetails shown or described.

What is claimed:
 1. A drywall mud-shaping tool comprising: a main bodyhousing having a bottom adapted to be placed in contact with an exteriorsurface of a sheet of drywall; a blade provided on the main bodyhousing; wherein said blade is movable between a first position and asecond position upon application of pressure to the main body housing;wherein when the blade is in the first position, a bottom edge of theblade is adapted to be spaced a distance away from the exterior surfaceof the sheet of drywall; and wherein when the blade is in the secondposition, the bottom edge of the blade is adapted to contact theexterior surface of the sheet of drywall.
 2. The drywall mud-shapingtool of claim 1 wherein the blade is movable between the first andsecond positions through application of hand-applied pressure to themain body housing.
 3. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, whereinthe blade is flexible.
 4. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1,wherein the blade is selectively removable from the main body housing.5. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, further comprising at leastone wheel engaged with the main body housing and adapted to contact theexterior surface of the sheet of drywall; and when the blade is in thefirst position, the bottom edge of the blade is located inwardly of aregion of the at least one wheel that contacts the exterior surface ofthe sheet of drywall.
 6. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 5,wherein when the blade is in the second position, the bottom edge of theblade is located substantially flush with the region of the at least onewheel that contacts the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.
 7. thedrywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, further comprising at least onewear pad provided on the main body housing and adapted to contact theexterior surface of the sheet of drywall; and when blade is in the firstposition, the bottom edge of the blade is located inwardly of a regionof the at least one wear pad that contacts the exterior surface of thesheet of drywall.
 8. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 7, whereinwhen the blade is in the second position, the bottom edge of the bladeis located substantially flush with the region of the at least one wearpad that contacts the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.
 9. Thedrywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, wherein the main body housing has afront side and a rear side; and wherein the drywall mud-shaping toolfurther comprises a collection chamber defined within the main bodyhousing.
 10. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, wherein the bladeincludes two or more cutting edges.
 11. The drywall mud-shaping tool ofclaim 10, wherein the two or more cutting edges each includes adifferently shaped cutting profile.
 12. The drywall mud-shaping tool ofclaim 1, further comprising a blade cover selectively engageable withthe main body housing and over the blade.
 13. The drywall mud-shapingtool of claim 12, further comprising at least one magnet provided on theblade cover, wherein the blade cover is selectively magnetically engagedwith the main body housing.
 14. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1,wherein the blade is oriented at an angle relative to a lowermost edgeof the main body housing; and wherein the angle is from about 52 degreesup to about 72 degrees relative to the lowermost edge.
 15. The drywallmud-shaping tool of claim 1, wherein the main body housing has a frontside and a rear side; and wherein the drywall mud-shaping tool furthercomprises a wiper engaged with the main body housing proximate the rearside.
 16. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 15, wherein the wiperextends outwardly beyond a lowermost edge of the main body housing. 17.A method of shaping drywall mud comprising the steps of: applying wetdrywall mud to an exterior surface of a sheet of drywall; allowingsufficient time for the wet drywall mud to cure such that a quantity ofcured drywall mud is provided on the exterior surface of the sheet ofdrywall; placing a drywall mud-shaping tool against the exterior surfaceof the sheet of drywall; applying hand-pressure to a main body housingof the drywall mud-shaping tool in a direction oriented at right anglesto the exterior surface; moving a blade provided on the main bodyhousing from a first position to a second position with respect to themain body housing; contacting the cured drywall mud with an edge of theblade when the blade is in the second position; and drawing the drywallmud-shaping tool across the cured drywall mud in a directionsubstantially parallel to the plane of the exterior surface of the sheetof drywall; and removing some of the cured drywall mud from the exteriorsurface of the sheet of drywall using the blade.
 18. The method asdefined in claim 17, further comprising: collecting at least some of theremoved cured drywall mud in a collection chamber provided on thedrywall mud-shaping tool.
 19. The method as defined in claim 17, furthercomprising: rolling the drywall mud-shaping tool across the exteriorsurface on at least one wheel mounted on the drywall mud-shaping tool;or sliding the drywall mud-shaping tool across the exterior surface onat least one wear pad mounted on the drywall mud-shaping tool.
 20. Themethod as defined in claim 17, wherein the removing of some of the cureddrywall mud comprises: positioning the blade within a main body housingof the drywall mud-shaping tool in a first orientation; presenting afirst cutting edge of the blade for contact with the cured drywall mudwhen the blade is in the first orientation; contouring the cured drywallmud with the first cutting edge in a first pass across the exteriorsurface of the sheet of drywall.
 21. The method as defined in claim 20,further comprising: removing the blade from within the main bodyhousing; rotating or flipping the blade; engaging the rotated or flippedblade in the main body housing in a second orientation; presenting asecond cutting edge of the blade for contact with the cured drywall mudwhen the blade is in the second orientation; and contouring the cureddrywall mud with the second cutting edge in a second pass across theexterior surface of the sheet of drywall.
 22. The method of claim 17,further comprising; contacting the cured drywall mud with a wiperextending outwardly from the drywall mud-shaping tool; and cleaning orsmoothing the cured drywall mud with the wiper prior to removing some ofthe cured drywall mud with the blade.
 23. A method of finishing drywallcomprising steps of: applying wet drywall mud to an exterior surface ofa drywall sheet; allowing sufficient time for the wet drywall mud tocure such that a quantity of cured drywall mud is on the exteriorsurface; placing a contoured edge of a flexible blade of a drywallmud-shaping tool against the exterior surface of the drywall sheet;applying pressure to a main body housing of the drywall mud-shapingtool; contacting an unfinished surface of the cured drywall mud with theblade while applying pressure; drawing the blade across the unfinishedsurface of the cured drywall mud; removing some of the cured drywall mudfrom the exterior surface with the contoured edge of the blade;contouring the cured drywall mud with the contoured edge of the blade toform a contoured surface; releasing pressure on the main body housing;placing a straight edge of the flexible blade against the exteriorsurface of the drywall sheet; applying pressure to the main bodyhousing; contacting the contoured surface with the straight edge of theblade while applying pressure; drawing the blade across the contouredsurface; removing some of the cured drywall mud from the contouredsurface; and forming a finished surface of the cured drywall mud on theexterior surface of the drywall sheet.
 24. The method of claim 23further comprising: rotating or flipping the blade within a main bodyhousing of the drywall mud-shaping tool to present either the contourededge or the straight edge of the blade for contact with the exteriorsurface of the drywall sheet.
 25. The method of claim 23 furthercomprising: collecting material removed from the cured drywall mud withthe blade in a collection chamber provided in the main body housing; andperiodically emptying out the collected material from the collectionchamber.